


when you kiss me i just gotta say

by adhdwoah



Category: Boy Meets World
Genre: 5+1 Things, Bi Eric Matthews, Eric reading Shakespeare to Jack, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gay Jack Hunter, Getting Together, Kissing, M/M, i cant believe im writing this for a dead fandom thats been revived from a compilation video, implied internalized homophobia, season 5 or season 7 u decide, theres a b99 reference in here sorry i just thought it was funny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:08:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27076999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adhdwoah/pseuds/adhdwoah
Summary: Eric is very affectionate towards his roommate. Jack is very confused.or5 times Eric kisses Jack + 1 time Jack kisses Eric(Title from "Baby, I Love You" by Ramones)
Relationships: Jack Hunter/Eric Matthews (Boy Meets World)
Comments: 43
Kudos: 369





	when you kiss me i just gotta say

1.

Eric and Jack are hanging out at Chubbie’s, eating together, when Cory interrupts them. 

“Mom and Dad are looking for you,” he says to Eric, Topanga and Shawn are hanging behind him. 

“For what?” Eric looks up at him. 

“I don’t know, I’m not your secretary,” Cory says defensively, gesturing with his hands. Eric blinks at him. 

“A package addressed to you was delivered to our house,” Cory mutters, before walking towards the pool table, his friends right behind him.

Eric’s face lights up and he jumps up from the booth seat, startling Jack.

“What is it?” Jack asks. 

“Only the greatest thing in the _world_ ,” he grins, holding back giggles. Jack squints at him.

“You ordered something from an infomercial again, didn’t you?” he asks accusingly.

“What? No. Maybe...” Eric’s trying his best to look innocent. “Alright, bye!”

Eric turns around to leave in a rush, but Jack calls his name. He turns back around. 

“What?” he asks.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Jack asks, glancing down at Eric’s unfinished food. Eric thinks for a moment, takes a step forward, leans down, and kisses Jack’s cheek. 

“Kay, bye!” Eric grins before running off.

“I meant pay for your food!” Jack yells at the boy who’s already halfway up the stairs. “Moron,” he mutters to himself, pressing his fingers against the side of his face where Eric’s lips just were. He blushes and sinks down into his seat.

  
  
  


2.

“Jack!” Eric basically screams as he walks through the front door. Jack walks out of his room, obviously used to this. 

“What?” he asks.

“Some dude offered me to audition for his play, and he told me he’d pay me if I was good. So, I need your help with my monologue. I’m not sure if I should do Shakespeare’s sonnet C-X-X-V-I-I, or Jack Nicholson’s _You Can’t Handle The Truth,_ ” he sits down on the couch and lays his head in his hands. Jack ignores the fact he just spelt out the roman numerals instead of saying the actual number, and sits down beside him. 

“Well, what are you auditioning for?” he asks.

“Puck in _A Midsummer’s Night Dream_.” Eric replies. 

“Alright, well, I don’t think Jack Nicholson will be of any help there. Go with Shakespeare. You’re really good at that type of stuff,” he pats Eric’s arm and stands up, thinking this was the end of their conversation.

“Wait! Can I try it out on you?” Eric stands up quickly.

“Jack Nicholson or Shakespeare?” 

“Shakespeare! Please?” he pleads. Jack nods.

“Okay, sure. You want me to just stand here or…?” 

Eric doesn’t answer, but he takes a step forward.

“ _How oft when thou, my music, music play'st_ ,” he starts in a shakespearean accent, his expression serious. “ _Upon that blessed wood whose motion sounds_ ,” he looks down to the side, staring at something that isn’t there, and looks back up to Jack.

“ _With thy sweet fingers when thou gently sway'st,_ ” Eric intertwines his fingers between Jack’s, who’s frozen in place. “ _The wiry concord that mine ear confounds, Do I envy those jacks that nimble leap_ ,” he brings Jack’s hand closer to his face, eyeing his roommate’s fingers carefully, like they’re pieces of art. 

“ _To kiss the tender inward of thy hand_ ,” he whispers softly, flipping over Jack’s hand in his. Eric brings Jack’s palm to his lips, kissing it cautiously. 

“ _Whilst my poor lips which should that harvest reap, at the wood's boldness by thee blushing stand!_ _To be so tickled, they would change their state and situation with those dancing chips,”_ Eric looks Jack in the eyes, like he’s being sincere. 

“ _O'er whom thy fingers walk with gentle gait, Making dead wood more bless'd than living lips._ ” he drops Jack’s hand, and caresses his cheek instead.

“ _Since saucy jacks so happy are in this, give them thy fingers,_ ” Eric’s hand is cupping Jack’s face. “ _Me thy lips to kiss._ ”

Jack doesn’t want to speak, scared that Eric will move from this position. But, his hand drops anyway, and Jack’s cheek feels weirdly naked.

“So, how was that?” Eric asks in his normal, non shakespearean voice. Jack clears his throat and ignores the butterflies in his stomach, ignores the hole burning into his palm in the spot where Eric had kissed him.

“Good. Really good. Can I see your Jack Nicholson?”  
  


3\. 

“It’s cold,” Jack states. Snowflakes fall from the sky while Jack is wearing nothing but jeans, a white t-shirt, and a flannel.

“Yeah, well, I told you to bring a jacket,” Eric sighs. He’s wearing a puffy red jacket with a scarf.

“No, you didn’t. In fact, you told me _not_ to bring a jacket. You told me to trust you. _You told me you were a weatherman,_ ” he says through gritted, chattering teeth.

“Oh. Right. Well, you should know by now not to trust me,” Eric smiles and throws his arm around Jack’s shoulder. 

“I’m getting there,” Jack mutters, crossing his arms tighter around himself. Eric rolls his eyes and chuckles. 

“You’re such a big baby,” he takes his arm away, and unzips his jacket. 

“What are you doing?” Jack asks, even though it's very obvious. Eric shrugs his jacket off and drapes it over his friend’s shoulders. 

“Eric, you’ll freeze,” he points out. 

“Yeah, no shit,” Eric raises his eyebrows. “But at least you’ll stop complaining.”

“We’ll see,” Jack puts his arms through the jacket and crosses his arms, already feeling warmer. 

“Does baby feel better?” Eric asks playfully with a pout. 

“Shut up,” Jack nudges him with his elbow. Eric laughs and leans in closer to him. 

“How about when we get home I fix you up some hot cocoa with marshmallows and whipped cream, huh?” he coos, and lands a peck on Jack’s cold, red nose. Jack’s face heats up, and he’s definitely not very cold anymore. 

Eric chuckles to himself and walks ahead, leaving Jack standing in the snow staring at nothing. He snaps out of his daze when the cold air whips his face again, and he jogs to catch up with his roommate.

“Hey, were you serious about the hot cocoa?”

  
  


4.

“Stop kicking your blanket off!” Eric yells, earning a long strangled groan from Jack.

“‘M hottttt,” he complains. 

“Too bad. You gotta sweat the fever out,” Eric states, pulling the blanket back onto Jack, who lets out a loud whine. 

“Don’t wanna,” he pouts. 

“Fine. Die then,” Eric shrugs and turns around to walk out, but Jack lets out an even louder whine. Eric turns back around with a pained smile.

“Yes, sweetie?” 

“Don’t leave,” Jack mutters weakly. 

“You are so needy when you’re sick and vulnerable,” he grins and shakes his head, like it’s the greatest thing in the world. Jack makes an incoherent noise in response. Eric leans over and presses the back of his hand against his roommate’s forehead.

“Hm. Your fever’s not going down. Do you want some soup or something?” he offers. 

“Yes, please,” Jack whispers. Eric smiles.

“Alright, be back in a flash. Don’t die while I’m gone,” he says before leaving the bedroom. 

Three and a half minutes later, Eric has piping hot chicken noodle soup in a bowl ready to be devoured by a poor, sick, feverish soul. 

“Ja-ack,” Eric sings. “I’ve got your soup, eat it before I do.”

Jack doesn’t respond. 

“Jack, buddy, did I lose you?” Eric puts the bowl of soup on the nightstand and moves the blanket to see if Jack fell asleep (or died). Jack’s eyes are closed, but his chest is moving, so that’s a good sign. Eric considers waking him up, but decides against it, seeing how peaceful he looks. Also, he can eat his soup. But mostly how peaceful Jack looks. 

He leans over and kisses Jack’s forehead.

“Feel better,” he whispers before turning off the lamp. He picks up the bowl of soup and walks out of the room, closing the door behind him. 

In bed, Jack smiles lazily and falls asleep to thoughts about Eric he’s too weak to push away. 

  
  
  


5\. 

  
  


It’s 2AM on a Tuesday night (or Wednesday morning), and Jack and Eric are still up. They _were_ studying, but when one of them “accidentally” turned on the TV, they completely forgot about their textbooks. Right now, _Friday the 13th_ is playing on a random channel, and both boys are sitting on the couch, a blanket over their laps.

Eric leans his head on Jack’s shoulder.

“What would it take for you to brutally murder me?” he asks out of nowhere.

“Interrupt the movie one more time and you’ll find out,” Jack replies, eyes glued to the TV. Eric responds with a huff. 

“I think for me, you’d have to do something horrible. Like, kiss my mom, or drink the rest of my apple juice, y’know?” he glances up at his best friend. 

“Why would I want to kiss your mom?” Jack asks. Eric lifts his head, which causes Jack to look at him.

“Oh, what? Is she not good enough for you? Is she too _ugly_?” he crosses his arms in offense.

“What? No! She’s just… You’re… I never said…” Jack furrows his eyebrows. “Whatever, nevermind.” he looks back at the TV and sinks into the couch. Eric turns back towards the TV too, before resting his head on Jack’s shoulder again.

“It’s okay. You don’t deserve her anyway,” he says. Jack wonders if he should be offended or not, but leaves it be, hoping that maybe Eric will shut up. 

Mrs. Voorhees is attacking Alice on screen when Eric kisses Jack’s neck, right under his jaw. It was a quick, dry peck. But it still makes Jack’s cheeks go red and his mouth go dry.

“What was that?” Jack asks.

“A kiss,” Eric replies nonchalantly. 

“For?” 

Jack feels Eric shrug his shoulders against him, and he doesn’t say anything else. Neither of them do.

  
  


\+ 1.

  
  


The music is loud, and so is the chatter. About 20 people are packed into their apartment, most of them being girls (as per Eric’s request). Shawn’s spending the night at Cory’s, so Jack and Eric have the place to themselves. Naturally, they decided to throw a party. People are drinking, kissing, and having fun, leaving the two hosts to watch and pout from the sidelines.

“Hey,” Jack nudges Eric’s side, gaining his attention. “Maybe we should, like, not give them a choice to kiss us, y’know?” he suggests. Eric gasps loudly and puts a hand over his heart.

“You have a mother!” he says in disgust.

“No, no, God, no, not like that! Jesus,” Jack furrows his eyebrows and shakes his head. “I meant, like, spin the bottle or something, man.”

“Seriously? Spin the bottle?” Eric places his red solo cup on the kitchen table. “What are we, 7th graders?”

“Ooh, are we playing spin the bottle? I love that game!” a random cute brunette interrupts excitedly. Eric blinks, before grinning. 

“Of course we are, what kind of a party would this be without spinning the ol’ bottle?” he throws his arm around the brunette’s shoulders and guides her to the middle of the room. “Alright, everybody, get in a circle, we’re playing spin the bottle, come on. You two, stop kissing and sit down. Alright, good.”

Once everybody is sitting in a circle, Eric places an empty beer bottle in the middle, and takes a seat next to the brunette.

“Okay, so, I assume everybody knows the rules?” he asks the room. Nobody disagrees, so he continues. “Alright, I’ll go first, then.”

Eric smirks as he crawls towards the middle, before spinning the bottle. He watches the bottle spin a dozen times before slowing down, and stopping. His eyes follow where the bottle is pointing to. A cute blonde girl. _Sweet._

The girl smiles and crawls over to Eric, before pressing her lips onto his. Eric puts his hand on the back of her neck and deepens the kiss, while everybody cheers. Jack’s eyes are focused on the ground, painfully aware of what’s happening in front of him. He ignores the gut wrenching feeling inside of him, and forces himself to look up. The couple pulls away and they smile at each other, before going back to their spots. 

The redhead girl next to the blonde girl giggles and crawls towards the middle before spinning the bottle. It lands on the brunette girl from earlier. They both blush and giggle while crawling to each other. Eric watches _intently_ as their lips connect and move together. After a few seconds, they pull apart, they’re both breathing a bit hard. They share a smile before going back to their spots. 

Jack is sitting cross legged next to the brunette, and everybody stares at him expectantly. He gets the message quickly, and nervously shuffles to the middle. He suddenly wishes he was anybody else in the world right now, because he doesn’t want to spin the bottle, and he _really_ doesn’t want to kiss anybody. He never understood what was so special about kissing girls. It all felt the same to him, just skin against skin.

He spins the bottle hard, and it takes a few seconds longer to slow down. It stops and Jack follows the bottle’s direction, eyes widening when he sees who it’s pointing to.

“Oh, god,” Jack and Eric say at the same time. The circle cheers, clearly very interested in this. The brown bottle is pointing towards Jack’s roommate, and he doesn’t know how to react. Because his heart’s pounding hard in his chest, and he has a familiar feeling in his stomach that he could never bring himself to examine. The same feeling he gets when Eric says something idiotic, but still grins like he’s 100% right, or when they’re eating together at _Chubbie’s_ and their legs brush against each other and their hands touch. Or when Eric would kiss his cheek, hands, forehead, nose, or _neck_. It makes him dizzy. 

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” the circle chants, encouraging the two boys to lock lips. Eric shrugs.

“Well, this was bound to happen sometime, right? Pucker up, Hunter,” he sits himself up on his knees and crawls forward until his face is inches away from Jack’s. 

Jack swallows hard, suddenly extremely aware of how many people are staring at him. He stares at Eric, trying to read his expression, but he can’t. He’s just grinning like an idiot, like kissing Jack would mean nothing to him. Like it would be the same as kissing anybody else. Like the blonde girl. The thought twists something inside of Jack, and he stands up. The room goes quiet. 

“Sorry, I... “ Jack doesn’t finish his sentence before he walks out the front door, leaving his party. 

***

It’s 2 hours later when Jack finally comes home. The apartment is empty of all the guests, except for Eric sitting on the couch, presumably waiting for him. 

“Where the hell have you been?” Eric asks, standing up. Jack shrugs as he walks towards the kitchen, but a hand stops him and turns him around. He looks down at his feet, avoiding eye contact. 

“What happened? Why did you leave?” Eric crosses his arms. Jack shrugs again, keeping his gaze on the floor. “Is it because you didn’t wanna kiss me?” 

Jack looks up at Eric, but doesn’t answer. He doesn’t know how. But, his response -- or lack thereof -- was all Eric needed.

“Right. Cool,” Eric smiles in a way that you just _know_ he doesn’t mean it. He’s about to walk past Jack to get up the stairs, but Jack stops him with a hand to his chest. Eric glances down at the hand, and back up at Jack, waiting for whatever he has to say. 

Jack realizes how close they are to each other, their faces-- their _lips_ are inches away. He can feel Eric’s heartbeat on his palm, it’s beating at the same rate his own is. He doesn’t know why. He knows that familiar feeling is back, though. And he thinks he finally understands what it means. 

“I… I did want to kiss you,” Jack whispers.

“What?” 

“I left because… I _did_ want to kiss you. But I couldn’t. Not with everybody there,” he’s speaking so softly, he isn’t even sure Eric heard him.

“There’s nobody here now,” Eric responds, and his voice sends shivers down Jack’s spine. 

Jack doesn’t know what else to say, so he closes his fist around Eric’s t-shirt and leans forward, closing the gap between their lips. The kiss lasts no longer than 2 seconds. It was a quick peck, nothing breathtaking. Yet, it was the best kiss of Jack’s life. His hands are shaking, his heart is pounding, and he feels happy. He looks up into Eric’s eyes for the first time that night, and he’s staring right back at him. 

“Do it again,” Eric whispers, and Jack complies. He kisses him again, and it’s even better than the first time. Eric’s hand slips to the back of Jack’s neck and brings him in closer. He feels like his knees are melting, and his grip on Eric’s shirt tightens. 

Jack finally understands what’s so good about kissing. Eric’s soft skin against his, the warm hand on the back of his neck, the feeling of someone he _really, really_ likes kissing him back. He understands why people never want to stop. 

Jack tries to pull away to catch his breath, but Eric lets out a soft, “ _No, no, no, no,_ ” and pulls him back in by his waist. He smiles into the kiss as he lets go of Eric’s shirt and runs his hand through his hair, tugging softly. Eric lets out a quiet whine and finally pulls away, letting them both catch their breath.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that with you,” Eric breathes out, causing Jack to chuckle.

“So why didn’t you? Would’ve saved me so much time and trouble,” he smiles. Eric shrugs.

“I was building up to it.”

“Oh, right. I guess I noticed that,” Jack nods, before grinning.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed! i haven't written anything in a really long time and i just had a rush of motivation so i wrote this. my writings still a bit rusty (or i just suck lol). i tried writing it with the same energy as the show, but i dont think i did it very well HDSKDJ. pls be nice
> 
> also uh if u like these dumb men u should listen to the playlist i made for them if u want hehe:  
> [ ANYWAYS. love u stay safe have a good day/night !](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3VbRSQwKJJw7VBWHGvws3M?si=SbloNQ2sQaSvtaT5xpumiQ)


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